Summary:

Coraline wakes after trying to think of a plan, and notices that her marbles have shattered. She puts them in a nice box, like a proper burial. She goes to have tea with Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, and she is told that everything in her future looks good! Well, everything except for a hand reaching for something. Their dog also happens to have a cut on it and Coraline knows only something as evil as the other mother's hand would hurt a puppy. In the middle of the night, while Coraline is trying to sleep, she sees the hand on her windowsill, trying to get in. The next day Coraline tells her mom that she's going to have a picnic with her dolls, and she asks for an old tablecloth to use. Coraline's mom thinks she is being a little immature, playing with her dolls, but she doesn't press: she gives Coraline a plastic tablecloth and makes sure she knows to be back before lunch. She goes to the well and sets up the cloth and dolls over to make it look like a picnic. She goes to Miss Spink and Miss Forcible's flat again, and she asks what happened to their dog. They say that the old man upstairs believes a weasel attacked it. Coraline then loudly announces she is going to go play. She sings a little song and puts the key right in the center of the picnic blanket. Suddenly, the hand runs and tries to grab the key, but tumbles down the well, just as planned. Coraline places the boards over the well, hoping the hand will never come out again. The cat shows up and is ecstatic that the other mother is finally gone. She sees the old man from upstairs and tells him that her name is Coraline, not Caroline - and he finally gets it right. He says the mice would like to perform for her sometime. She gives the stone back to Miss Spink and Miss Forcible and hugs them. She makes sure they know it came in handy, and then leaves to home. She goes to sleep and is very ready for school, not nervous for her first day like she usually is. As she falls asleep, Coraline hears music from the mice circus and she dreams a sweet dream of playing with three nice children in a meadow.

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Analysis:

In this last chapter, the climax of the novel, Coraline reaches her full potential, and defeats the other mother. She uses yet another trick that is childish, but works on the other mother since she is naive and greedy. The other mother’s hand hops straight for the key, not thinking of impending danger. Coraline boards up the well, and hopes to never see the other mother again. She shows her new character by being brave and thanking the ladies. She also tells the old man upstairs that her real name is Coraline, which is important since no one ever got her name right until this last chapter. Coraline has a new bravery and a new appreciation for her world around her. The book ends with a dream, symbolizing better things to come in Coraline’s future.